Monsoon Alert: Heavy Rainfall Expected Across India In July
Pune, 2nd July 2024: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for heavy rainfall across India in July, with the monsoon covering the entire country six days ahead of schedule. While maximum temperatures are expected to be below normal in many parts of northwest India and the southern peninsular region, central, eastern, and northeastern India, along with the western coast, are likely to experience above-normal temperatures. Despite an 11% deficit in June rainfall, the monsoon is predicted to be ‘above normal’ over the next three months.
According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon is set to reach the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab within the next two to three days. The department noted that the monsoon has already covered the entire country by July 2, six days ahead of the usual date of July 8. This early coverage follows the monsoon’s arrival in Kerala and the northeastern region on May 30, two and six days ahead of schedule, respectively.
In a statement, the IMD said, “The southwest monsoon has advanced into the remaining parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab today. Thus, it has covered the entire country by July 2, 2024, six days ahead of the normal date of July 8.” The early monsoon progression, however, slowed down after reaching Maharashtra, causing delays in rainfall for West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. This delay exacerbated the severe heatwave conditions in northwest India.
From June 11 to June 27, India recorded below-normal rainfall for 16 days, leading to an overall deficit for the month. The total rainfall recorded was 147.2 mm, compared to the normal 165.3 mm, marking it as the seventh-lowest June rainfall since 2001. June typically accounts for 15% of the total 87 cm rainfall during the four-month monsoon season.
The IMD has also warned of potential floods and cloudbursts in several regions due to heavy rainfall. On Monday, the department stated that India could experience above-normal rainfall in July, which may result in flooding in river valleys in the western Himalayan states and central parts of the country.
